APS provides agencies the flexibility to deploy an Electronic Ticketing and Forms™ solution on handheld devices, and the mobile computers installed in their patrol vehicles. When most agencies begin considering an Electronic Ticketing and Forms™ initiative, they typically start evaluating solutions that operate on handheld/PDA devices. However, for the many law enforcement agencies that have installed (or are going to install) mobile computers/laptops in their patrol vehicles, deploying an electronic ticketing/forms system on the mobile computers is a much more cost effective and easy-to-use solution.

The following is an overview of the options agencies have when deploying a mobile computer and/or handheld solution. Detailed information on the applications offered by APS is available within the Mobile Solutions and Handheld Solutions sections of this website. In addition, the “Electronic Ticketing: How to Deploy the Right Solution for your Agency” white paper can be download at the bottom of this page.

eTicketing & Forms for Mobile Computers

Utilizing the APS Mobile Solutions, officers can utilize the mobile computers already installed in their vehicles to generate an electronic ticket/form – thus saving the agency the significant additional cost of purchasing handheld devices. For agencies that have deployed a mobile data system with their mobile computers, APS offers a unique and patented functionality that streamlines the entry of data into any electronic form. Once officer runs a background query from national (NCIC), state, and local databases, APS can capture the data from these mobile query files and auto-populate all of the requisite information into the electronic ticket/form on the screen. This process is completed as follows:

Officer conducts a traffic stop and runs a mobile query on from the laptop.

Data from the query files is received on the mobile computer and the officer completes the first approach to the violator’s vehicle.

Officer strikes a designated key on the keyboard that will display an electronic version of the ticket/form on the computer, and all of the requisite data from the mobile query files are auto-populated into the appropriate fields on the form.

To complete a ticket, an officer only has to select the name of the violation (from a drop-down list) and the remaining information on the ticket (statute number, court information, fine amount, etc.) are automatically filled-in.

The APS Mobile Solutions are customized to the exact requirements of each agency and can operate with a thermal, high-impact, or laser-jet printer.

eTicketing & Forms for Handheld Devices

Electronic Ticketing and Forms™ solutions for PDA/handheld devices have been around for many years, but were typically focused on parking enforcement initiatives. The additional data and increased complexity of traffic enforcement citations (and other agency forms) prevented the wide-use of handheld solutions to issue traffic violations. However, advancements in both the functionalities of handheld software applications and features of new handheld devices have significantly increased the use and deployment of the handheld solutions by public safety agencies.

Currently, almost all of the available handheld ticketing solutions rely on an officer scanning the bar-code or swiping the magstripe on the violator’s driver’s license in order to populate some of the fields on the ticket/form. Officers then utilize drop-down menus and/or a keyboard to complete the form. This basic set of functionalities is still not ideal for most officers because it requires 35-50 “clicks” on the device to complete a ticket/form.

The APS Handheld Solutions are unique because they enable agencies to complete an electronic ticket/form with just 8-10 “clicks” on the handheld device. The APS handheld applications are customized to match the exact process flow desired by each agency. Agencies can divide the ticket/form into as few or as many tabs/screens as desired. They can also customize all of the drop-down menus to incorporate all of the specific information related to their municipality (streets, locations, violations, agency information, etc.). In addition, the APS “Smart Logic” feature provides all of the embedded intelligence to auto-populate the statute number, court information, fine amount, and other additional data.

The next emerging advancement in handheld technologies is the ability for officers to utilize the handheld device to run national (NCIC), state, and local database queries – like is done today with the mobile computers. Agencies that make the investment to enable their officers to run mobile queries on the handheld device, can also utilize the APS feature to auto-populate almost the entire ticket/form utilizing the data returned from the mobile query files (as detailed above in the mobile computer electronic ticketing solution).